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The 2015 Dutch food-based dietary guidelines
Kromhout D, Spaaij CJ, de Goede J, Weggemans RM.. European journal of clinical nutrition, 2016-04-06
Topic: Risk, prevention and care in population studies
The objective of this study was to derive food-based dietary guidelines for the Dutch population. The dietary guidelines are based on 29 systematic reviews of English language meta-analyses in PubMed summarizing randomized controlled trials and prospective cohort studies on nutrients, foods and food patterns and the risk of 10 major chronic diseases: coronary heart disease, stroke, heart failure, diabetes, breast cancer, colorectal cancer, lung cancer, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, dementia and depression. The committee also selected three causal risk factors for cardiovascular diseases or diabetes: systolic blood pressure, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and body weight. Findings were categorized as strong or weak evidence, inconsistent effects, too little evidence or effect unlikely for experimental and observational data separately. Next, the committee selected only findings with a strong level of evidence for deriving the guidelines. Convincing evidence was based on strong evidence from the experimental data either or not in combination with strong evidence from prospective cohort studies. Plausible evidence was based on strong evidence from prospective cohort studies only. A general guideline to eat a more plant food-based dietary pattern and limit consumption of animal-based food and 15 specific guidelines have been formulated. There are 10 new guidelines on legumes, nuts, meat, dairy produce, cereal products, fats and oils, tea, coffee and sugar-containing beverages. Three guidelines on vegetables, fruits, fish and alcoholic beverages have been sharpened, and the 2006 guideline on salt stayed the same. A separate guideline has been formulated on nutrient supplements. Completely food-based dietary guidelines can be derived in a systematic and transparent way.
Key findings
- A general guideline to eat a more plant food-based dietary pattern and limit consumption of animal-based food and 15 specific guidelines have been formulated.
- There are 10 new guidelines on legumes, nuts, meat, dairy produce, cereal products, fats and oils, tea, coffee and sugar-containing beverages.
- Three guidelines on vegetables, fruits, fish and alcoholic beverages have been sharpened, and the 2006 guideline on salt stayed the same.
- A separate guideline has been formulated on nutrient supplements.
- Completely food-based dietary guidelines can be derived in a systematic and transparent way.
Why it matters
This guideline review found strong evidence linking diet to dementia risk, among other chronic diseases, and used it to formulate food-based dietary guidelines. It offers dietary guidance that may help lower dementia risk, but it does not test a treatment or cure for Alzheimer's disease.
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Study details
- Study designmeta-analysis
- Evidence strengthHigh
How this study scored 62/100
Published in a peer-reviewed journal, and it is a meta-analysis pooling many studies. Scored zero for sample size, effect reported and studied in people because the record does not state it.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 7 / 10 | Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (European journal of clinical nutrition) |
| Journal's citation record | 2 / 4 | European Journal of Clinical Nutrition: journal h-index 225 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29) |
| Study design | 12 / 12 | A meta-analysis pooling many studies |
| Strength of evidence | 5 / 5 | Rated “high” in our summary |
| Peer-review validation | 10 / 10 | Peer-reviewed. Published as an article in a named peer-reviewed journal. |
| How recent | 1 / 5 | 2016 — within 20 year(s) of the newest study here |
| Sample size | 0 / 4 | Participant count not stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Effect reported | 0 / 3 | No effect size reported — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Studied in people | 0 / 3 | Not stated whether this was studied in people — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Randomised / blinded | 0 / 2 | A review of other studies — randomisation is not credited here |
| Times cited | 6 / 7 | Cited 403 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 4 / 5 | 33.6 citations a year over 12 year(s) since 2016 |
| Impact for its field and year | 5 / 6 | Cited 29.7× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 2 / 6 | Cited by 4 other studies in this library |
| Still being cited | 3 / 4 | Cited 118 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 1 / 4 | Last-listed author Rianne M. Weggemans: h-index 17 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 0 / 3 | The Health Council of the Netherlands: institution h-index 45 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 0 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 1 institution(s) in 1 country — scores zero (affiliation lists can be incomplete) |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 27049034) |
| Free to read | 2 / 2 | Free to read |
| Total | 62 / 100 | — |
What each of these 20 components measures, and what this score is not →
Read the original
- DOI: 10.1038/ejcn.2016.52
- PubMed: 27049034
- Original source →
- Free full text: European Journal of Clinical Nutrition →
Full text: free to read — OpenAlex lists this copy as free to read: the link above (checked 6 Feb 1020).
Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
Built from the record alzhub holds for this paper, not looked up. Volume, issue and page numbers are not held in the record. Check the citation against the original before you use it.
APA 7th
Kromhout, D., Spaaij, C. J., de Goede, J., & Weggemans, R. M. (2016). The 2015 Dutch food-based dietary guidelines. European journal of clinical nutrition. https://doi.org/10.1038/ejcn.2016.52
Vancouver
Kromhout D, Spaaij CJ, de Goede J, Weggemans RM. The 2015 Dutch food-based dietary guidelines. European journal of clinical nutrition. 2016. doi:10.1038/ejcn.2016.52. PMID: 27049034.
BibTeX
@article{kromhout2016-27049034,
author = {Kromhout, D. and Spaaij, C. J. and de Goede, J. and Weggemans, R. M.},
title = {{The 2015 Dutch food-based dietary guidelines}},
journal = {European journal of clinical nutrition},
year = {2016},
doi = {10.1038/ejcn.2016.52},
pmid = {27049034},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1038/ejcn.2016.52}
}
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